Top Five Summer Favorites

July is nearly over, but there's still a good month of summer vacation left, so I wanted to share some of my summer favorites with you! This time of year is always pretty low-key for me. I spend a lot of time reading or lounging by the pool (cliché, I know), so most of my faves will be based around that. Light your sun-drenched linen candle (which smells like summer at my Nunny's house) and enjoy!

1) Five Minute Journal: I LOVE this thing. I write in it every morning and every night, and it takes literally five minutes of your life. A few posts back, I talked about my struggle with anxiety. One of the things that I kept hearing about as a way to combat that was gratitude, and while I'm not going to say I am not anxious at all anymore, it's definitely toned down a lot. In the morning, under the inspirational quote or weekly challenge, I have to start my day by listing three things I am grateful for-- and I try to really think outside the box on this. Then I write three things that would make that day great. Sometimes it's "eat healthy and work out" or "don't be anxious" or just "being creative". Then I write daily affirmations to instill positive thinking. At night, I write about three amazing things that happened to me and then one way I could've made the day better. Again, this isn't always earth-shattering stuff. Not every day is me getting engaged at a waterfall or parasailing or something, but the point is appreciating the day-to-day and finding joy in the little moments.

2) DIFF sunnies: I've had my DIFF sunglasses for a couple of years now, and while my exact pair is no longer available, there are other cute style options for different face shapes, as well as blue light and prescription glasses (and a collaboration with the lovely JVN). I wear mine every time we go to the pool. The blue polarized lenses are wonderful, and each pair of glasses is made with one piece of acetate, so they're super flexible as well. With each pair purchased, DIFF makes a DIFFerence (haha) by providing eye exams, glasses, and surgery to people around the world who cannot afford eye care. According to their website, they've provided over a million pairs to date. They're less expensive than designer glasses, and you're giving to a good cause! As someone with atrocious vision, I understand how monumental it is to be able to see and ensure someone else can as well.

3) Summer of '69: Two of my friends and I have an on-again, off-again book club, depending on how busy life is. This summer we picked up with two options for July (and only read one so far, haha). This book by Elin Hilderbrand was such an easy summer read. I tend to gravitate towards non-fiction, but I love when books tell stories from multiple perspectives. Each chapter is a member of the family, and it vacillates back and forth as they weave the story of the summer of 1969. I knew I was going to like it when I flipped to the chapter titles and realized they were all named after some of my favorite songs (I am a flower child at heart). It also hit a soft spot for me because it is centered around the Vietnam War, and how the family reacts to the brother/son being over there. My uncle was in Vietnam, and my mum and her other brother & sister and my grandparents had to deal with that and the aftermath. It is one of the wars where people were not excited to go there, they were mistreated when they returned, and they were changed. It puts in perspective how far we've come with veteran care, even though we still have so far to go.

4) "Queer Eye": I was v. late to this train, henny, but after having multiple people tell us how good it was, Shelley and I quickly watched the first three seasons this past spring. Last night, we finally started season four (okay, "finally" is a bit dramatic, as it just came out July 19th). This is so much more than a makeover show. Sure, they might get a haircut, a new outfit, or an updated living space, but it's really about learning to love who you are and how to let that person shine through instead of hiding. It's one of those shows that actually makes you smile as you're watching it. The Fab 5 put things into perspective, teaching the people they meet to find joy in the little things, be true to who they are, and always utilize the French tuck. I'm big on appreciating the small moments and being authentic, so this is a definite favorite.

5) Kingdom & State swimsuit: Okay, I wasn't trying to make three of my five items have a connection to the Fab 5 but when I was researching this option, I learned the company where I got my favorite swimsuit was actually founded by Tan France back in 2011. The swimsuits are stylish but affordable, and they sell clothes as well. I got the Suzie two piece. I love the gingham detail, the old Hollywood silhouette, and the fact that the high waisted bottoms hide my "loves pizza" area without making me look like an overgrown toddler. The one-piece suits are adorable as well, and the quality is good enough that I know I'll be wearing it for years, which is quite something in this world of fast fashion and daily new releases.

Hope you enjoyed reading my summer favorites-- let me know if you try any of them out! I've linked everything except "Queer Eye" because you can find it on Netflix.